


Trick or Treat

by TajaReyul



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Long-Running Gag, One Shot, Outdated Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-02-09 00:19:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1961733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TajaReyul/pseuds/TajaReyul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crime doesn't take a holiday, not even Halloween, but Green Lanterns and Red Arrow do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trick or Treat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merelymine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merelymine/gifts).



> Originally written as part of the_fic_trader Halloween fic exchange on LJ.

Tim returned to the room he rented at the latest in a string of flophouse hotels. Staying under the radar meant staying in places where it was in the management's best interests to be less than observant of their guests' comings and goings. Unfortunately, his efforts here, both in remaining anonymous and in his search, had so far been pointless. He was beginning to suspect this particular lead was a dead end.

_A dead end on Halloween, how app—What the hell?_

On his bed was a box tied with a bat-festooned ribbon. After a thorough search, he determined the room was otherwise undisturbed. It was as if the box had just materialized there. Another exhaustive investigation revealed nothing unusual about the package—no chemical coating to deliver toxins to be absorbed through his skin, no pressure- or movement-sensitive fuses, no anything. He changed into his uniform and carefully untied the ribbon, figuring if there were something he'd overlooked (highly unlikely but still mathematically possible), the armor would help protect him.

As soon as the knot fell open, the world turned green and slid away.

* * *

Dick strode out of the costume vault, tugging on his gloves. Damian could be such a little shit. Well, until he showed some effort to learn some rudimentary manners and follow basic social convention, he was grounded from flying as Robin. Bruce wouldn't have tolerated Damian's spoiled brat routine even if there hadn't been paparazzi around to capture the whole tantrum on film.

A note propped on the console in front of the main computer distracted Dick from his frustration with his youngest brother. There was no address, just a cartoon bat drawn on the front of the plain white envelope.

_Now how did that get there?_

Surely Alfred would have mentioned it, if it had been delivered to the manor. That meant it had been brought directly into the cave. Dick reviewed the video feed to see who had left the note. No one had. It simply appeared between one second and the next. Since the Batcave's security would have registered the presence of a speedster (even if after the fact), the envelope had to have been teleported in or manifested magically. The sender could be only one of a handful of people who knew the location of the Batcave and most of those were friendly, or at least not overtly hostile.

Dick pulled his cowl into place and opened the envelope.

* * *

“There he is!” Batman found his arms suddenly full of half-drunk, redheaded archer.

“Red Arrow! What the hell?”

“Happy Halloween, Bat Wonder!” 

_Make that three-quarters drunk._ “You mind telling me what this is? And where?” Batman pushed his longtime teammate more or less vertical.

“'This' is the best party in the galaxy: the Warriors Bar Halloween bash. I bet Gardner and Rayner they couldn't get you and your broody brother to lighten up and enjoy yourselves for one moment. Besides, what's Halloween without our very own bat?”

“So this was your idea?” Red Robin stormed up to the pair. “Harper, you idiot! I was in the middle of something!”

“Nothing too important,” the archer smirked, “since you're fully dressed.”

Tim took a breath and visibly dialed back his temper. “I'm not even going to argue with you. Just tell your trained chimp to send me back.”

“Who you callin' a chimp, burger-boy?”

“Guy,” Roy interrupted, trying to defuse the situation.

“You shut up, Bow-Brain. 'S bad enough that my girlfriend blows me off for some kind of chicks' night out. Then you and Rayner gotta talk me into a sucker's bet that I shoulda known I'd lose. Daddy-Bat made sure these two couldn't recognize a good time when it bites them on their asses.”

“Gardner, you...”

“No, Tim. Allow me.” Batman handed off his unsteady charge to the furious former Robin and spun, landing a perfect uppercut that lifted the mouthy Green Lantern off his feet.

“All right, break it up—oh.” Earth's youngest recruit to the Corps took in the sight of his fellow Lantern laid out on the floor. “Did you knock him out with just one punch?”

Batman's lip twitched.

Red Robin snickered.

“Aw, crap,” Red Arrow grumbled. “I just lost the bet, didn't I?”

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the very brief, if not nonexistent, time in which Bruce Wayne was missing and presumed dead by practically everyone, except Tim Drake, who was using the hero identity Red Robin; Dick Grayson had assumed the mantle of Batman; and Roy Harper was Red Arrow instead of Arsenal. References the 2009 DC Halloween Special and Justice League #5 (Sept. 1987).


End file.
